Friction-transmission gear.



No. 876x47. PATBNTED JAN. 14, 1908.

- G. T. STAMM.

FRICTION TRANSMISSION GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. 1907.

lflhu n vuunuulllri u .4 SN Q, SN UN NE NW T NM 5% M .fl Ii I q i & Q .&\N a SN w .n v 3 s w -S F m a S Toall whom it may concern:

, "GEOR E 'r. STAMM, or Lo's'aNeEtEs, CALIFORNIA; q

TFRICTION-TRANSMISSION GEAR.

Beit known that I, GEORGE T. STAMM, a

V citizen of; the United States, residing at Los Angeles, inf'th'ecounty of Los Angeles and 'fitate -of;Qalifornia, have invented a new.,and useful Friction Transmlssion Gear, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to friction transmission gears, and the objectsof the invention. are to provide for drivin the driven shaft at avariable speed in eit er direction with res ect to the driving shaft, orto clutch t e driven shaft with the driving shaft to cause the drivenshaft to be driven directly. by'thedriving'shaft at a uniform speedtherewith and without any frictional engagement between the respectivefriction gears or Wheels.

Other objects are to provide a simple construction .which is strong anddurable, ef-

fective in operation andeconomical of construction. I I

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form" of theinvention, and referring thereto z jFigure 1 is a'plan view of thegreater portion of the frame of an autom0-. 1e equipped with thetransmission gearing.

Fig. 2 is. avertioal longitudinal section on linex .'a: Fig. 1, the endportions of the frame of the automobile having been removed. Fig. 3 is aface view of the clutch forconnec'ting the driven shaft directly to,

the driving shaft. A distinguishing feature of this invention is thatthe elements of the gearing are mounted upon the regular automobileframe and not upon any sub-frame or auxiliary frame, and the side barsof the automobile frame are capable of being bent slightly to effect theengagement or disengagement between certain friction wheels. This slightbending action of the side frame members of the automobile frame isextremely slight ein only that small amount ofrnovement' hic is'necessary to cause one friction ole-- ment to be--moved intocontactoroutof contact with its co-acting friction element; The'-side--rnembers' of the "automobile frame near their ends are rigidlyspaced" "apart by the usual cross bars, and as the bending movement isso very slight and distributed through "such a long distance theSpecification of Letters Patent. 2 Application filed March 1s.19o7.-Serial No. 363.119.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

members, there being in fact no greater amount of bending movement thanthe ordinary automobile frame sustainsinlnormal operation when in use onthe road.

sttain is readily sustained .by the side frame 2 1 and 2 designate theside members of the frame of the automobile which," as shown in Fig. 2,are made quite wide, measured vertically. Near their front ends themembers 1 and 2 are rigidly spaced and connected to-' gether by across-bar 3 which lies at the rear of the engine, the latter beinglocated at 4 and having a motor shaft 5 equipped with a fly-wheel 6. Theside'frame members 1 and 2 near their rear ends are connected by "theusual cross-bars.

7 designates the rear axle-which maybe of any preferred type ofconstruction. There may be other cross braces adjacent the ends of theside frame members 1 and'2', but there are no cross braces or otherelements along their intermediate portions which prevent flexing of theside members except certain elements employed for the specific purposeof bending the side frame members.

A pair of stationary nuts 8.are attached to the frame member 2, one nut8 being located near the top of the frame 2 and the other nut beinglocated underneath as shown in Fig. 2.

Another pair of similar nuts 9 are attached to the, frame 2 in a similarmanner, one being underneath the other as shown-in Fig. 2, and

the side frame member 1 is equipped with two pairs of nuts 8 and 9arranged opposite the respective nuts 8 and 9 onside frame member 2.Four frame operating shafts 10, 11, 12 and 13 extend across between thesidefframe members 1 and 2, each shaft being provided with right handthreads at one end and with left hand threads at the other end, thescrew threaded ends of shaft IO -engaging the upper nuts 8 ofside frames1 and 2, the screw threaded ends of shaft 11 engaging the lower nuts 8of side members 1 and 2 the threaded ends of shaft 12 engaging uppernuts 9 of side frame members 1 and2 and the threaded: endsxof shaft 13engaging lower nuts 9 of frame member-s1 and 2. 1 Thus byimpartingsimultaneous rotation to thesefour shafts the side members 1 and 2 ofthe framemaylbe sprung toward or away from each other, and into whateverposition the side frameinembers 1 bearing The shafts 10 and 11 support anon-revolu-- 1 and 2 may be bent they are rigidly maintained in suchposition by the four. shafts 10 ole-nut 14*, the latter having upperlugs 15 l and lower lugs 16 through which the shafts It)- and 11respectively loosely pass, each.

shaft 10 and ll'having collars 17 for holding the nut 14 in a centralposition. Engaging in'the nut 14 is a hollow screw or threaded sleeve18, the internal bore of which is smooth. A driving shaft 19 passesthrough the threaded sleeve 18 being rotatably mounted therein, and acollar 20 is fixed on the shaft '19 and abuts against the forward end ofthe screw 18. The screw 18 carries a sprocket 21 which sprocket liesbehind the nut 14. A sleeve 22 is keyedto the shaft 21 and has a flange23, and mounted on the sleeve 22 is the hub 24 of a driving frictiondisk 25, the latter having a concentric recess 26 which receives theflange 23, the flange being bolted or riveted to the adjacent recessedportion of the friction disk 25. The friction disk 25 is preferablyformed of aluminum and has radial strengthening webs 27 which extendfrom the disk 25 to the hub 24. Arranged between the l111b 24 and thesprocket 21 is a ball thrust 28. The rear end of shaft 19 issubstantially flush with the flange 23 but has a central stud 29projecting rearwardly from its end. The front end of shaft 19 isprovided with a collar 30 having three lugs 31, from each of which lugsprojects astud 32, the hub of the fly-wheel 6 having sockets 33 -whichreceive the respective studs 32 and permit of a sliding movement of thestuds therein when the shaft 19 is moved longitudinally.

' member 1.

Passing over the sprocket 21 is a chain 34, the upper lead of which isconnected by a spring 35 with a lug 36 on the side frame The lower'leadof the chain 34 extends toward the side frame 1 and is twisted a quarterway around and passes over a sheave 37 and "thence to anarrn 38 7 agrooved hub 44 which is operated by a s lit arm 45 carried by a shiftrod 46 which is s 'dably mounted in a bracket 47 which projects from thejournal bearing 41. The rear end of the shift.rod 46 is connectedby'alink 48 with a swinging arm 49, as shown .in Figs. 1 and 2, and theswinging arm 49 is connected by a link 50 with an arm 51 which projectsfrom a shaft '52, a hand lever 53 being provided for operating the shaft52, the hand lever operating over a suitable sector 54"and beingequipped with latch mechanism which it is not necessary to show anddescribe. 1

Thus by swinging the hand lever-53 in either {direction the frictionwheel 43 may be moved along the shaft 42 through. the medium of theconnecting linkage described.

The rear end of the driven shaft 42 is connected by a universal joint 55with a rear shaft 56 which extends to the gear casing'57 on the rearaxle 7. A radius rod 58 is rigidly connected to the gear casing 57 andis provided with a ball and socket joint 59 forming means of connectionwith a bracket 60 extending from the journal 41. The ball and socketjoint 59 being located concentrically with the universal joint 55insures that the swing of the radius rod will always coincide with theswing of the shaft 56.

Journal bearings 61' are mounted on the side frame members 1 and 2 andare braced by tie rods 62, the tie rods being provided with regulatingnuts 63 whereby the journal bearings 61 may be properly trued up.Mounted in the respect1ve,-, journal bearings 61 are shafts 64, eachshaft 64 carrying an intermediate friction wheel 65, {each frictionwheel having two friction surfaces-{Pope of which is at the periphery ofthe wheeland is adapted to contact with the face of the friction disk25, whilethe flat friction face of each friction wheel 65 is adapted tocontact The frictional with the friction wheel 43. contact isestablishedbetween the flat faces of friction wheels 65 and friction wheel 43 byspringing the side frame members 1 and 2 toward each other. This isaccomplished by turning the four shafts 10, 11, 12 and 13simultaneously. Shafts 10 and 11 have arms, 66 which are connected by alink 67,

and shafts 12 and 13 have arms 68 which are connected by a link 69.Shafts 11 and 13 k are respectively provided also with arms 70 and 71which are connected by a long link 72, and a shorter link 73 extendsfromthe arm 7 O to the arm 38,.before described.

which is mounted on shaft 39. Braces 74 extend from nut 17 to therespective side frame members land 2 and are equipped with turn buckles75 for regulating their length. "These braces 74 form strut rods torevent the central portions of shafts 10 and 1 1 from bein bent forwardwhen the friction glisk 25 is forced against the friction wheels 65.

A clutch '76, shown in, detail in Fig. 3, is I arranged on the drivenshaft 42 to clutch with the recessed portion 26 of the friction .disk25.: This clutch is constructed in the well known manner having a splitexpanding ring 77 whichis expandedbyjalever 78,

. the latter carryingan antifriction' roller 7 9,

The lever 78. is operated by 'a'wedge'SO car' ried by the hub-ofthel'riction wheel :43. Thus when the friction wheelf43 is moved intothe extreme forwardpos'ition the wedge forced under the roller 7 9 andswings outthe lever 78, thus expanding the ring 7 7 and clutching theshaft 42 tightly withthefrictiondisk 25, and as thelatter is rigidlymounted on shaft 19 the two shafts 19 and A 42 are thus caused torotatein unison.

friction wheel 43, driving the latter in a direction 0 posite to that ofthe friction disk 25, and that the friction Wheel 43 drives the shaft 42and rear shaft 46 in the same direction the shaft 56 operating throughthe usual gearing to impart rotation to the gear aide 7 to propel theautomobile backward.

To reduce the speed of the automobile the foot lever 40 is allowed to beretracted by the contraction of spring 35 acting through chain 44,and-as the foot lever-40 is thusimoved back by the spring, the links 73and 72 acting on arms 70 and 71 cause shafts 11 and 13 td. beturnedcounter-clockwise, the shafts 161: and 12 being 5 simultaneouslyturned counter-clockwise through the medium of links 67 and 69. Thusas'all four shafts 10, 11', 12 and13 are rotated counter-clockwise theirthreaded ends acting in the four nuts 8 and 9 force apart the side framemembers 1 and 2, and as the frame members are thus sprung out they carrythe two friction wheels ,65 out of contact with the friction wheel 43.Atthe same time the spring 35 in contacting and drawing back'the chain"44 causes the sprocket 21 to rotate which turns the threaded'sleeve 1.8in the non-revoluble nut 14 and lcau ses the threaded. sleeve to rideforward if "spring 35, and rotates "sprocket 21 which "and carry with itthe shaft 1'9, and as the shaft 19 moves forward it withdraws thefriction disk 25 from contact with both friction wheels 65. In thismanner all friction hand leve r 5'3. -Whe'n the friction wheel 43 hasbeen moved into the desired position,

the; foot leve'r 4O ispushed forward w c draws" upon the chain 44,stretching the turns the threaded sleeve 18 in. the reverse.

direction and forces rearwardly the shaft 19 and friction disk 25,moving the l atterinto frictional contact with both friction wheels 65;'At the 'same'time asthe foot lever -40'is swung forward thefour shafts10, 1 1, 12 a d 13 are rocked through the medium 0 th before describedlinkage, and the side am members '1 and 2 are drawn toward ac other thusforcing the two friction Wh els 65- against the friction wheel 43. I

The lowest speeds are secured by adjusting the friction wheel 43 ,closerto the center of the friction wheels 65, but when rt'is desired to drivethe automobile by direct connection between shaft 42 and 19 instead "ofthrough the intermediate friction gearing, the foot le-,

ver 40 is allowed to be retracted byspring 35, whereupon the fourrotating friction ele ments are moved out of contact with each other,and then by moving forward'the hand lever 53 the friction wheel 43 ismoved forward to shove the wedge 80 under the roller 79, thus operatingthe lever 78 and clutching the two shafts 42 and 19 together, whereuponthe drive from the motor shaft will be direct from shaft 19 to shaft 42.It will be noted that by adjusting the nu 63 onbraces 62 it is possibleto adjust the friction wheels 65- very accurately.

When

the two side frame members 1 and 2 are I friction disk' carried by thedriving shaft, a.

driven shaft, a driven friction wheel on the 'driveil shaft, and meansfor moving the driv- 'ing friction disk against the intermediatefriction wheels and simultaneously bending the side frame members of thevehicleto move the intermediate friction wheels against the drivenfriction wheel. 4

2. In a motor vehicle, in combination 1 00 1. In a motor vehicle, incombination with with,

the side frame members of the vehicle, 'inter' -mediate frictionwheelscarried bythe side frame members, a driving shaft,'a driving'frictiondisk carried by the driving shaft, a

driven shaft, a driven friction wheel onthe driq'en shiift, means formoving the driving friction disk against the intermediate frictionwheels and simultaneously bending the side frame members of the vehicleto move the in: y

termediate friction wheels against'the driven friction wheel, and meansfor adjusting-the driven friction wheel diate'fric'tion wheels.

radially of. the interme- 3. in a motor vehicle, in combination with theside frame members-of the vehicle, intermediate friction wheels mountedon the side frame members, said friction wheels adapted to be movedlongitudinally of their axis when theside frame members are bent, saidside frame members preventing the friction wheel from being movedlongitudinally of the vehicle, a driving friction disk, a-drivenfriction disk, and means for bending said side frame 1 membersand'moving said intermediate friction wheels into contact with thedriven friction disk and moving said driving friction 'disk-rearwardlyinto contact with the-intermediate friction wheels.

4. In a motor vehicle, in combination with the side frame members of thevehicle, int'ermediate friction wheels carried by the side framemembers, a: driving shaft, a driving friction disk carried by thedriving shaft, a driven shaft, 'a driven friction wheel on thedrivenshaft, means for moving the driving a driven friction wheel on thedriven shaft,

side frame members of the motor vehicle,

- intermediate friction Wheels mounted on the side frame members, andmeans for turning the threaded sleeve and bending the side frameelements to shift the driving shaft and force the driving friction diskagainst the intermediate friction wheels and moving the inteiimediate'friction wheels into contact with} the driven friction wheel.

6. In a motor vehicle, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, adrivingfriction disk on the drivin shaft, a threaded sleeve for shifting thedriving shaft longitudinally, the driving shaft being rotatable in thesleeve, 'a nonrevoluble nut engaging said threaded sleeve,

-a driven friction wheel on the driven shaft,

side frame members of the motor vehicle, intermediate friction wheelsmounted on the side frame members, means for turningthe threaded sleeveand bending the side frame elements to shift the driving shaft and forcethe driving friction disk against the intermediate frlction wheels andmoving the intermediate friction wheels into contact with drivenfriction wheel, and means for adjusting the driven friction wheel alongthe driven shaft and for clutching the driven shaft with the drivingshaft. g 7 In a motor vehicle, a driving shaft, a

driven shaft, a. driving disk on the driving shaft, a driven frictionwheel on the driven shaft, side frame members of the motor vehicle,intermediate friction wheels mounted on the side frame-members, athreaded sleeve for shifting the driving shaft Ion 'tudinally, thedriving shaft being rotata le in the 'sleeve, a stationary nut engagingthe threaded sleeve, a flexible connection attached to the nut forrotating the nut, -a spring for drawing the'flexible connection -in onedirection, cross shaftswith threaded ends engaging nuts on the sideframe members, and means for turnin the latter shafts simultaneously tobend-t e side frame members and for drawingsaid flexible connection toturn the threaded sleeve.

8.- III a motor vehicle, in combination with the side frame members ofthe vehicle, a plurality of cross shafts havin threaded ends engagingnuts on the side. ame members, journal bearings arranged transversely onthe side frame members, intermediate friction wheels with the shaftsmounted in said journal bearings, a driving friction disk, means formoving the driving friction disk into contact with the peripheries ofthe intermediate fricion wheels, a driven shaft, a driven friction wheelon the driven shaft, and means for simultaneously turning the crossshafts to bend the side frame members and move the intermediate frictionwheels into or out of engagement with the driven frictidn wheel.

9. In a motor vehicle, in combination with the side frame members of thevehicle, a plurality of cross shafts having threaded ends engagingnutson' the side frame members, journal bearings arranged transverselyon the side frame members, intermediate friction wheels with the shaftsmounted in said journal bearings, a driving friction disk, means formoving the driving friction disk into contact withthe peripheries of theintermediate friction wheels, a driven shaft, a driven friction wheel onthe driven shaft, means for simultaneously turning the cross shafts tobend the side frame members and move the intermediate friction Wheelsinto or out of engagement with the driven friction wheel, and adjustablebraces extending fromthe outer ends of-said journal bearings to the sidemembers for adjusting said bearings to regulatethe plane of rotationofthe intermediate friction Wheels.

10. In a motor vehicle, a drivinglfriction disk, a driven friction disk,intermediate friction wheels, means for securing contact between theintermediate friction wheels and the driven friction disk, and ositivemeans for positively moving the driving friction disk into contact withthe intermediate friction disk into contact with the intermefrictionwheels. dia-te friction wheels. c 11. In motor vehicle, 'a drivingfriction In testimony whereof I have hereunto set disk,.a friction disk,intermediate fricmy hand at Los AngelesCalifornia this 9th "10 ltio'nwheels, means for securing contact beday of March 1907. I

' tween the intermediate friction wheels and the driven friction diskand 'for positively.

preventing bodily movement of the .inter- In presence of mediatefriction wheels in 'the plane .of their I GEORGE T. VHA'GYKLEY;iii-rotation, and means for moving-the driving 7 FRANK :L.' A. GRAHAM. v

GEORGEH-T STAMM.

